Advert Title:

Nike Commercial Better For It (2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF_HqZrrx0c
Who made the advert and when was it broadcast?
April 2015.
What is the overall message of the advert?
Encouraging women who think theyre unable to achieve their goals to stay committed and motivated.
What persuasive technique(s) are used?
Self-perception making women feel like they can achieve anything if they put their mind to it.
Social position allowing women to come together and encourage each other to do well.
What is the form of the advert?
Broadcast advert using digital media to promote the brand/campaign, through TV, social media etc.
Maslows Hierarchy Used:
Links to esteem, as women want to feel confident and feel a sense of achievement. Also links to self-actualisation, as relates to
spontaneity and thriving to achieve better.
Target Audience:
Demographics

How do you know?

Women of the age range 20-35.

Women in advert are all around this age range, aimed at all
women as that is what the advert is solely focussed on.

Socio-Economic Group(s)

How do you know?

Working/middle class.

Aimed at working class as some of the exercises done in the

ad (e.g. running in the park) can be done for free. Aimed at

middle class due to paying for a gym subscription and living in
a luxurious home.
Psychographic(s)

How do you know?

Personality traits include determination, motivation, confidence.

Also would be aimed at experiencers.

Women in the ad all seem shy and insecure at first, with one
woman saying oh, a bunch of models, right in front of me..,
but as the ad progresses, it shows them to be a lot more
confident and outgoing. It would be classed as experiencers
as they are motivated by self-expression, and have a median
age of 25, which is around the age all the women in the ad
were. They also have lots of energy which they pour into
physical and social activities.

Geo-demographics (if appropriate)

How do you know?

Links to the women being quite classy, working hard to achieve

what they want in life.

The ad shows a woman doing exercise on the floor of their

luxurious, neat home.

Persuasive Technique(s) used

How do you know?

Emotional response -

Links to the idea of motivation and feeling confident and secure

within yourself.
If you keep pushing yourself, you will achieve a sense of
reward as you will feel better about yourself once youve
reached your target.
Will feel better about yourself as constantly pushing yourself to
achieve greatness and eliminating doubts.

Reward and punishment -

Self-perception -

Mise en scene:

Props & Settings

Connotations?

In a gym doing yoga/weight lifting/cycling.

In a park running.
At home doing exercises.

Can push yourself in any situation, but main focus of advert is

is through sports e.g. yoga, running, cycling.
Can exercise anywhere, iconographic of exercising in gym, in
park, at home.
Dont have to rely on others to push you, can do it alone e.g
woman at home pushing herself to do plank and achieving it.

Lighting & Colour

Connotations?

A mix of both high-key and natural lighting.

High-key lighting connotes positivity, and a sense of

achievement. Natural lighting due to the women doing
exercises outside.

Facial Expressions & Body Language

Connotations?

All women begin calm and motivated. As they start exercising,

then see them to sweat/struggle, but keep going and dont stop,
even after saying I cant repeatedly. At the end, they say I did
it.

Struggling often shows defeat, but in this case, shows that it

connotes to achievement and reaching your goal.

Positioning of objects and characters in the frame

Connotations?

Women are usually always the centre of attention, in the middle

of the shot, for example, the woman running or doing yoga.

The women are the most important part of the advert,

focussing on empowerment and keeping active; this anchors
their determination and will to carry on exercising, even after
telling themselves they cant do it.

Costume, hair & Make up

Connotations?

Iconographic code includes actors usually wearing Nike

Allows them to stand out and be the main focus among lots of

sportswear in bright colours, promoting the brand. Hair always

tied up and out of their face.

other people, connotes to them being the centre of attention

and having power. Hair away from their face allows them to
focus more.

Camera Shots

Connotations?

Technical codes include lots of close ups to highlight the womens

facial expressions, and a few long shots while the women are
running or doing yoga.

Close ups throughout the advert represents the womens

determination to achieve their goal, which allows viewer to see
their progress through the ad. They go from being determined,
to doubting their ability, to then achieving their goal. Long shots
show what the women are doing, giving the audience a clearer
picture of how they are pushing themselves.

Diegetic Sound

Connotations?

Technical code would be diegetic sound as the source of the

sound is visible in the shot.

The sound is the thoughts of the women in the shot, doubting

their ability to achieve their goal by saying things in their head
like I cant do this.

Non-Diegetic Sound

Connotations?

Technical codes included in the ad would be non-diegetic sound

because the sound has been added on after the ad had been
filmed. Also, there is music in the background that becomes
more clear as the ad progresses.

Sound had to be added on after filming as obviously you cant

record someones thoughts, which is why it has been
pre-recorded and added on afterwards as a voice over.
Background music is symbolic of a sense of achievement; as
the ad progresses and the women get closer to their goal, the
background music gets louder and more prominent.

What representations are created (positive and negative)

The advert is represented positively, as men are shown to usually be active, sporty and hard working. However, this advert shows
women being the countertype of this idea, as they are the ones who are active and hard working in the ad, by doing lots of exercise

and pushing themselves to the limit. It also challenges the dominant ideology of women staying at home while men are out
working, as men are nowhere to be seen in the ad while the women are working hard, promoting the idea that ideologies change
with the attitudes of people over time.

In your opinion, what legal or ethical codes could arise (Ofcom & ASA / BCAP?)
The advert needs to consider the BCAP code 12.4, stating that Advertisements must not encourage indiscriminate or excessive
use of a weight-control or slimming product or service. .1 The advert shows women doing lots of exercise, which could suggest that
to be/stay fit and healthy, they need to do strenuous exercise all the time, which can promote a negative message to viewers about
over-exercising.
Editing
The advert uses editing techniques such as a montage, where it starts off quite dull and uninspiring, to then adding upbeat music
and the characters getting increasingly more active and energetic, which connotes to their progression of self-confidence
throughout the advert. Eyeline match is also used when a woman is running in the park, and stops to look at her phone which is
tracking her progress. The shot is first of the woman, and then on the phone, allowing the viewer to understand what the woman is
looking at on the screen. Finally, the advert also uses cutting, where one shot goes straight to the next, without any fading. This is
to show that the woman are all separately doing their own thing, but at the end, the cuttings become more frequent to show the
build up of energy and to speed up the shots.

https://www.cap.org.uk/Advertising-Codes/Broadcast/CodeItem.aspx?cscid={f58e82ce-f19b-4b98-81e7-b8e3bfe2b0c6}#.WBcX-BR42-8